


time’s forever frozen still

by caitlesshea



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Fluff, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, M/M, Photographs, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:40:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25344097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: Nicky wants more than just memories of their life together. Joe helps.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani & Nicky | Nicolo di Genova
Comments: 11
Kudos: 134





	time’s forever frozen still

**Author's Note:**

> I watched this movie, became obsessed, and then this happened. I regret nothing.

“You’re awfully quiet.” 

Nicky looks over at Joe to where he’s sitting on the edge of the bed trying to take off his shoes.

“Mmm.” Nicky mumbles, smiling as soon as he feels Joe against his back. 

“What’s bothering you?” Nicky relaxes further into Joe’s embrace as Joe’s arm wraps around his middle to loosely hold his hand. 

“It’s nothing.” 

Nicky can feel so much as hear Joe’s sigh as he presses a kiss to the back of his neck. 

“Nicolò.” 

Nicky turns at the sound of his real name, a sure sign that the events from today have shaken Joe more than he’ll likely admit, even though they’re now in Copley’s safe house for the night. 

“You think this is a good idea?”

“I do.” Joe kisses him once as Nicky lays flat on his back with Joe hovering over him. “But that’s not what’s bothering you.”

“You know me too well.” Nicky rolls his eyes at the familiar joke and Joe smiles down at him, brushing their noses together.

Nicky pauses for a moment and then realizes he won’t be able to hold out for long and decides to tell Joe. 

“The photos.”

“What about them?”

“We’ve never seen photos of us before.”

Joe pauses his nuzzling and Nicky stares into eyes as familiar as his own and watches as the realization dawns. 

“We’ve seen photos of us.”

“Sì. But not of us together, like that.”

“Nicky.” Joe says quietly as he kisses him. Nicky gets lost in the moment for a little while before he pulls away and turns his head to look out the window. 

“We’ve been so careful. Never taking photos together, never keeping mementos like that. So to see it all laid out like that...” Nicky trails off quietly as he turns back towards Joe, to the one person he knows will understand. 

“We don’t need photos, Nicolò.”

“I know we don’t.”

“And you called me the romantic.”

Nicky chuckles as he leans up to kiss Joe again, not wanting to separate from him as he winds a hand into his hair.

“You want photos of us?”

“Sometimes, maybe, I don’t know.”

“Because I _definitely_ don’t need to be reminded of what I looked like in the eighties.” Joe chuckles and Nicky smiles as he shakes his head.

“Which one?” 

“Cheeky.”

Nicky kisses Joe again as Joe settles against him on his chest. 

“We don’t need the photos, Nicolò.”

“Too many lifetimes lived?” Nicky looks down, his face smushed into Joe’s curls, and smiles. 

“Not enough lifetimes. Never enough.” 

**1 year later**

“Nicolò, destati.”

Nicky wakes up as he hears familiar words and a camera click. He opens his eyes and there’s a small flash and Joe’s face is as close to his as is _probably_ humanly possible.

“Wha?”

“You said you wanted photos, Nicky.” Joe says as he shakes out the Polaroid photo of them.

It’s _way_ too early to be thinking about this.

“You said we didn’t need them.”

“We don’t.” Joe pulls him closer and Nicky turns his head toward the camera as Joe takes another photo. “But, you wanted them.”

“Is this why you wanted to come to Malta?”

“If I remember correctly, you suggested it.”

Nicky rolls his eyes at the smile in Joe’s eyes.

“So, what changed?”

“Well, we only come here every fifty years or so, and it’s been our place for so long, I think we can take a couple of photos.” 

“You’re sure?”

“Never been so sure of anything.” 

“So romantic.” Nicky rolls his eyes at their familiar banter. Over a thousand years between them and he still wants to hear it, still wants to be with Joe.

“Your romantic.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!


End file.
